"Hang on, guys, I'll be right back. I'll prove it to you!" Wally all but shouted as he slid off the barstool. Usually he would have zipped to his room and back, but something told him to just walk normally, some feeling in the back of his brain that he had no desire to argue with. He shrugged internally, sauntering from the kitchen toward his bedroom. He stopped short in the mouth of the hall, however. Robin sat, crumpled, at the base of the wall, his legs folded awkwardly underneath him as if he had slid down the wall without noticing. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest, and his shoulders were slightly raised as he hunched into himself. His head was lowered, and even though his hair was falling over his opaque mask lenses, Wally could tell he was staring, unseeing, at the floor in front of him. Robin's mouth was still and quiet and his brow was furrowed, as if he were battling demons inside. All in all, it was the most un-Robin-like he had ever seen his best friend. It didn't take a genius to figure out something was very wrong.

Good thing, too! Wally's subconscious supplied in Robin's laughing voice. Wally rolled his eyes. Even when he hadn't said anything, Robin always got the last laugh. Wally shook his head, bringing him back to the problem at hand.

He walked up to the young teen, crouching down in front of Robin. Robin hadn't moved, which worried Wally even more – the kid in front of him was one of the most observant people he knew. "Robin, you okay?" He didn't get a response. "Robin?" He took a breath, looking toward the kitchen to make sure no one was watching and lowered his voice a little more to be safe. "Dick?" The raven haired boy finally looked up, jumping back in surprise when he saw that Wally was right in front of him. Or, he would have jumped back, if he hadn't already been leaning against the wall. All he managed to do was slam the back of his head into the wall, his hand flying to the sore spot instinctively as he groaned and Wally winced in sympathy. Suddenly, he froze.

"What did you call me?"

"Your name," Wally smirked, shrugging. "Robin wasn't home." His face turned serious. "Dick, what's wrong?"

Dick took stock of the fact that he was now on the floor, though last thing he remembered was being on his feet. "I'm fine," he tried anyway.

Wally plopped down on his butt, scooting around so he was leaning against the wall next to his friend. "Yeah, I can see that. Is this a new thing, sitting on the floor curled up and zoned out?" He looked pointedly at how Dick was sitting.

Robin immediately shifted so he was sitting with his back to the wall and his legs crossed in front of him. They stayed there, side by side in silence for a while.

Wally wanted to joke around, or to point out that he had seen Robin curled up like that, obviously in pain, and demand answers. But he knew that wouldn't help anything, so he went with the best idea he had. "What's wrong?" he asked again, gently, lightly bumping Robin's shoulder with his own. Robin pulled his arms to himself again, trying to shield himself. He sighed deeply, knowing that he couldn't lie his way out of this one: Wally was like a bloodhound if he knew something was wrong with his teammates – he wouldn't let go or leave it alone until he got the truth.

"I…" he tried, but the words got stuck in his mouth. He sighed again, pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He snuck a sideways glance at Wally. Sure enough, the redhead was still there, uncharacteristically patient for the speedster as he looked at Dick. "I don't feel like I belong." The whispered confession was so quiet that Wally barely heard it. But Dick knew that he had by the aghast look on his face. Dick studied the floor in front of him as he plowed on. "I know you all keep telling me that I do and all, but I don't believe it. I can't believe it. I've tried, Wally," he spat out at the speedster's look, "but my mind won't accept it. Won't accept me. I've told myself that you guys mean what you say, I've told myself that you do like me and that I'm not in the way or bothering anyone when I'm around, but I still don't believe myself. I just… I always feel like I'm not enough, like I don't truly belong, like whatever I say, I shouldn't have, because no one wants to hear me anyway and they just do because they're trying to be nice. I feel like people would rather anyone else's company to mine, and they settle for mine because no one else is available. When it's a group, I always feel like the third wheel, no matter how many of us there are. I just… can't make myself think any differently."

He continues staring at the floor, unable to face the look Wally must be giving him.

"How long have I known you?" Wally asks.

"Huh?" Startled, Dick looks over at the redhead, meeting his eyes.

"How long have I known you?"

"For years, but-"

"That's right. I've known you for years, and we've hung out countless times. And most of those times was me seeking you out. Now, why would I, for years, go and do that to myself if being around you was unpleasant?"

Dick thought about that. "I…."

Wally put a hand on Dick's arm. "I wouldn't have. And you know it." Wally sat back up straight. "You're my brother," he said sincerely, locking eyes with Dick to make sure the younger boy saw he meant it. Dick broke eye contact first, looking down. "The team wants you around, too. I know we've all told you this, but if it weren't for you, we – none of us – would be here. They love you, trust you, and would follow you. I would too, gladly, around the teasing." Dick snorted softly at that, his eyes still locked on the floor. "Life wouldn't be the same without you." Wally could see a sarcastic comment like well, obviously it wouldn't be the same. If anything at all were different in the course of time, nothing would be the same, so he plowed on, not giving the younger boy the opportunity. "It would be far worse without you around.

"Now, I'm not gonna say, 'You gotta know that,' because I know you do. But… please try to believe it. Please. For all our sakes. This team wouldn't be worth having without you."

A couple beats of silence pass before Dick made any move. He reached up and peeled his mask from his face to wipe at the tear tracks running down his cheeks. He turned his dazzlingly bright eyes, still shining with unshed tears, toward his best friend, the tiniest of smiles on his lips. Wally flashed him a bigger smile, and Dick's own grew a little before he launched himself at the ginger. Emotion squashed any words he may have tried to utter, leaving him with only the ability to hug the speedster with all his might.

Wally didn't object, hugging the smaller boy back with equal strength, proving once again that he meant all the words that he had said. They remained like that for a while, Wally perfectly happy to be the anchor that Dick needed for as long as necessary. Finally, Dick's arms loosened, and Wally stood. "Come on, Little Bird," he said quietly, holding out his hand.

Dick put his mask back on with smooth, deliberate motions before taking the proffered hand and being pulled to his feet. "Thanks, Wally," he smiled, looking more like himself. Robin followed Wally into the kitchen, the conversation that had started earlier still raging on. Each of the other members of the team greeted Robin warmly, pausing only momentarily before continuing to talk, proving that none of them had heard a single word of what had transpired in the hall.

Artemis turned to Wally. "You go to get something from your room to back up your story, but you bring back Robin instead. No proof, then? I guess I win!"

Robin couldn't help it: A wide grin spread across his face. He still felt aloof, but he knew that loofness would come with time.